High-speed relay



H,- CHIREIX ET Al.

HIGH SPEED RELAY Filed April 28, 1922 awvvamtoz HENRI CHIREIX AND LOUIS PHIUPPART 339M flbtoz/m J Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES HENRI CHIIREIX AND LOUIS PHILIPIPART, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

HIGH-SPEED RELAY.

Application filed April 28, 1922, Serial No. 557,140, and in France May 26, 1921.

The present invention relates to a relay adapted to close and open a large number of times per second a contact which will carry currents of high intensity.

The object of the invention is to provide a very free contact and very clean openings notwithstanding the mass and speed of the moving elements. Furthermore, the invention aims at doing away with the inertia of the ralay. These results are attained on one hand by combining certain elastic arrange ments and dampeners interposed between the contact points and their supports, and on the other hand by establishing electrical connections to diminish the time during which the current is established in the coils of the relay.

The invention will be better understood by means of the following description and the single figure of the drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, but

does not limit its scope.

. The relay comprises a core in the form of a plunger composed of two parts 1 and 2. The plunger of magnetic metal (iron, steel, etc.) is magnetically separated into two parts andmechanically assembled by means of a non-magnetic metallic part 3 (bronze, etc.). Each of these cores is surrounded by a mag netizing coil schematically illustrated at 4 and 5. The magneticcircuits are completed around the cores through a magnetic metal breech 6' surrounding the cores and provided with. projections 7 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 which may be entirely or partially laminated.

The energization of one of the coils causes the displacement of the core in one direction and the energization of the other coil causes the displacement of the core'in the other direction.

file as s own in cross section in the drawing, 7

whereby an electro-magnet will be obtained the strength of which is substantially con stunt.

The movable contact is provided in the follo manner: A contact point 15 is at- USE to the plunger core 1, 3, 2 by means of a lot band spring 16 of the shape shown.

-'1he bending due todepression and vibration: of this elastic support are limited by a dampening device, which may be in the form of a spring 17, preferably having superposed laminations. The deformation of this spring is opposed to that of spring 16'. A stationary contact 18 is provided on a fixed support 19 by means of a flexible band 20. A dampening device 17 similar to the spring 17 may be provided for limiting the deformation of the elastic support 20. The position of this elastic support 20 may be varied by means of a screw threaded arm 21 that may be adjusted on the support. If the elasticity of these difierent elastic supports, springs and dampening device is properly selected it will be possible to prevent the movable contact rebounding on the stationary contact. Such rebounding is usually produced in contact relays operating at a high speed when the contact pieces are rigidly fixed to the moving masses or to fixed supports.

In case it becomes necessary to open a high voltage circuit through the contacts 15 and 18, a nozzle 22 is provided through which an air current is blown on the contacts. If compressed air of high pressure is available, preferably this nozzle should be in the form of an ejector, such as a device having an inside nozzle 23 provided with a small opening surrounded by an outer conical casing 24, which may be perforated at 24. By means of such a device large volumes of relatively low pressure air currents may be economically produced and such as is sometimes necessary for cooliliiig the contacts and extinguishing the spar The energizing or magnetizing current of the relay coils 4, 5 is preferably supplied from a common source 25. It is advisable to provlde resistance 26 in series with the source 25 for the purpose of reducing the time constant. The results may be further improved by providing for the last mentioned purpose a sultable capacity 27 around the resistance 26. If the elements 26 and 27 have such value that the product GR is superior to 2 L inthe electromapet being dueto is charging current of the condenser. Depending on the movement to be produced the energizing current is directed to one or the other coils 4; and 5 by operating the contacts 29 and 29 through the agency of the transmitting operation or, depending on the purpose of the apparatus, by a quick double acting key or armature 28 of a relay.

For the purpose of diminishing the time necessary for displacing the movable contact 15 and thus rendering the action of the relay plunger more prompt, preferably the followmg arrangement is added to the electrical equipment of'the apparatus.

At a suitable point of the movable element or core and rigidly connected therewith we provide an insulated conductor 31. This con ductor is connected through a flexible connection 30 to a variable resistance 32 and a sliding contact to one of the poles of the current source 25 On each side of this movable insulated conductor 31 fixed contacts 33 and 34 are provided, each contact being connected to one of the outgoing terminals of the energizing coil in such a manner that the coil which is in the normal condition, for instance 5, is nevertheless traversed by a current, the intensity of which will be a suitable fraction of the operating current. The resistance 32 may even be entirely eliminated in case of high' speed operation. It will be seen that in this circuit arrangement a current is established in the coil which will subsequently operate to move the core upwardly (in the above illustration coil 5) and, notwithstanding this, the downward movement of the plunger will be performed as a result of the superior attraction exerted by the energizing coil (4; in the illustration) on the movable core. Only when the current ceases to flow in this coil 4 at the moment when the relay or armature 28 disengages contact 29 will the movable core become actuated with a determined acceleration which will be greater, the reater the value of the current intensity at t is particular time.

The magnetic energy stored in the coil in which the current was just now broken t in the above case) will be absorbed due to the provision of the condensers35 and 36 which are provided in shunt around armature 28 and the contacts 29 and 29, partially by the resistance 26 and partially by the coil which will enter into operation (5 in the above example).

The action of the relay will be further strengthened by this energy supplement.

Finally, a resistance 37, preferably of the variable type, is connected on one hand with the common terminal of the double acting key or armature 28 and on the other hand with the common terminal of the condensers 35 and 36. Due to this arrangement the breaking sparks are materially diminished because of the dampening of the oscillating circuit comprising the break (2829 or '28-29'), the condenser (35 or 36), the refacts and connections as shown, the plunger will be actuated at the instant when either contact is broken, and not when contact is made as stated above.

More specifically, in the instantaneous position of the apparatus as shown in the figure, the plunger is at rest in its lowermost position and contact at 29 is closed. Due'to conductor 31 contacting with 33, coil 5 will be energized to a-certain extent through the following circuit: one terminal of source 25, coil 5, conductor connected to contact 33, conductors 31 and'30, resistance 32 and to the other terminal of source 25. Plunger 12 will assume the position shown due to the fact that coil 4 is energized to a greater extent than coil 5. Breaking the contact at 29 deenergizes coil 4, and the plunger is im: mediately caused to move upwardly due to the initial energization of coil 5 as explained above. Now then, when contact is subsequently made at 29, coil 5 is completely energized, and the plunger having been previously accelerated when 29 was opened will complete its upward movement in much quicker time than when the plunger is moved from a position of complete rest.

It should be noted that this arrangement makes possible not only an increased speed in the operation, and the establishment of a preliminary current in the inactive coil, but it acts also on the order of a brake towards the end of the movement, whereby it attenuates the shock of the contacts, and therefore the rebounding of the movable element. This is one of the objects of the invention.

The contacts 33 and 34 are preferably mounted in a manner to prolong the connection with the contact 31 during one-half of its movement. It is not essential to actuate the contacts 33, 34 by means of the core of the relay as this may be done in other ways.

The relay forming the object of the present invention may find various applications. It is particularly useful as a sending relay for wireless telegraphy and may be controlled by means of any high speed automatic transmitter provided with a suitable circuit to actuate the armature 28 directly or through the agency of an intermediate relay.

Obviously the apparatus forming the object of the present invention may be modified in various ways as far as its form or the operation of its various elements is concerned' For the purpose of simplifyin the arrangement certain parts may be le t out without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a high speed relay, the combination with an armature, of a pair of coils for actuating said armature, means including a source of currentfor supplying operating current to either one of said coils and means cooperating with said armature for simultaneously energizing the other of said coils to a lesser degree.

'2. In a high speed relay, the combination with an armature, of a pair of coils arranged to bealternately energized by current from a common source for actuating the armature, and means cooperating with. said armature for simultaneously energizing the non-actuating coil to a lesser degree.

3. In a relay, the combination with an ar- -mature, of a pair of operating coils for indeendently actuating said armature, said coils eing oppositely wound and connected in series, means including a source of current connected to an intermediate point of said coils for supplying operating current to either one of said coils, and means cooperating with said armature for simultaneously energizing the other of said coils to a [lesser degree.

4. In a relay, the combination with an armature, of a pair of operating coils for alternately actuating said armature, said coils being oppositely wound and connected in series, a reversing switch having a pair of contacts, each being connected to one of the terminals of each coil, a source of current connected between an intermediate point of said coils and the mid-point of said reversing switch, whereby either of said coils may be energized to actuate the armature, and means associated with the armature and said coils for simultaneously energizing the non-actuating coil to a lesser degree.

5. A relay comprising an armature, a pair of opposed coils associated with said armature, a source of current supply common to both of said coils, switching means for alternately energizing said coils to actuate said armature in opposite directions, and means associated with the armature for simultaneously energizing to a lesser degree the coil not instrumental in actuating the armature,

whereby said last mentioned coil will be par- 1 tially energized 'for subsequently operating the armature in the opposite direction.

6. A relay comprising an armature, a pair of opposed coils associated with said armature, a source of current supply common to both of said coils, switching means for alternately energizing said coils to actuate said armature in opposite directions, and means associated with the armature for simultaneously energizing to a lesser degree the coil not instrumental in actuating the armature, whereby said last mentioned coil will be par tially energized for subsequently operating the armature in the opposite direction, said means including a conductor connected to the armature and insulated therefrom, a flexible connection from said conductor to the current source, and a pair of contacts for cooperating with said conductor each connected to one of the energizing coils.

7 In a relay having a movable contact and a stationary contact, a core plunger comprising two magnetically separate parts, said plunger carrying the movable contact, a magnetizing coil surrounding each of said two magnetic parts, a common source of energy for energizing said coils one at a time to op crate said plunger in' either direction, so that contact between movable and stationary contacts may be made or broken depending upon which of the coils is energized, and means associated with the plunger for simultaneously energizing to a lesser degree the coil not operating to move the plunger.

8. A high speed relay of the direct current type, comprising an armature, a pair of coils associated therewith, means for alternately energizing said coils to actuate said armature, and auxiliary means cooperating with said armature for simultaneously energizing the non-actuating coil to a lesser degree.

9. A high speed relay of the direct current type, comprising an armature, a pair of coils associated therewith, means including a common source of energy for alternately energizing said coils to actuate said armature in opposite directions, and auxiliary means cooperating with said armature for simultaneously energizing the non-actuating coil to a lesser degree.

HENRI CHIREIX. LOUIS PHILIPPART. 

